Alexandra Trusova | Page 173 | Golden Skate

Alexandra Trusova

Trusova received terrible draws and she did prove in practice she can do a clean 5 quad runthrough... but over time towards the Olympics they need to decide on a set of elements she should focus on and a set layout. I once said that she should mix up her jump layouts to keep the judges from getting bored with her... and they've been doing that to a extreme extent.

I find being a fan of Trusova to be very frustrating as I can't understand the strategy behind the jump layout decisions. Seems like they swing between strategies. She keeps swinging from one extreme to another. Last year at the GPF she was doing 3A and a 5 quad FS and and by Europeans she was not doing the 3A and was doing a 3 quad FS. This year she swung in the opposite direction where she did a 3 quad FS at the channel one trophy and then at Worlds she was going for a 5 quad FS and seemingly the 3A in the SP. (this latter could be a matter of peaking but still)

Personally, I would prefer that she focused on doing 4 quad programs with 3 different types of quads.

The problem with 5 quad programs is that she has to warm up 4 different types of quads which seems too physically and mentally stressful and may start interfering with her training of her other elements. And really, 5 quads really takes away from the rest of the program.... 4 is already pushing this pretty hard.

Why not 3 quad programs? She's attempted 4+ quad programs for so long that downgrading seems like an attack on her self-identity. It just seems like 3 quad programs haven't worked out well for her either.

She's had a couple really bad 4 quad FS outings, but her highest scores and best results have come from 4 quad programs. She should stick with that.

I love her 4S, but it has a tendency to set a bad tone for her FS at the beginning(GPF 2019, 2020 Rostelecom, 2021 Worlds). I may be wrong, but it seems like it could be the hardest jump to warm up because of the entry. I'd go with the flip, lutz, and toe as the 3 quad types.

I would only go for one quad in the bonus, but if they do go for two quads they should probably make them both 4T.

I would like her to be more aggressive in the short program and go for the 3A and maybe even the 3Lz+3Lo. This may be hard to setup, but a good strategy might be that if she does the 3A that she should push her luck and do the combination as the last element. If it's not done well she should play conservative and do the combination on the 2nd jump pass to give herself a hail mary chance in the free skate.

I've had this the opinion that she should be going for the 3A in the SP and for doing a 4 quad FS without the 4S since last year's Euros.


 
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An excerpt from a 1tv report on Worlds.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CM7s-1cpzBP/

And a photo of her from the medal ceremony, with her bronze.

165520604_553959972244387_1787681517834435098_n.jpg

Source.
 
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Trusova received terrible draws and she did prove in practice she can do a clean 5 quad runthrough... but over time towards the Olympics they need to decide on a set of elements she should focus on and a set layout. I once said that she should mix up her jump layouts to keep the judges from getting bored with her... and they've been doing that to a extreme extent.

I find being a fan of Trusova to be very frustrating as I can't understand the strategy behind the jump layout decisions. Seems like they swing between strategies. She keeps swinging from one extreme to another. Last year at the GPF she was doing 3A and a 5 quad FS and and by Europeans she was not doing the 3A and was doing a 3 quad FS. This year she swung in the opposite direction where she did a 3 quad FS at the channel one trophy and then at Worlds she was going for a 5 quad FS and seemingly the 3A in the SP. (this latter could be a matter of peaking but still)

Personally, I would prefer that she focused on doing 4 quad programs with 3 different types of quads.

The problem with 5 quad programs is that she has to warm up 4 different types of quads which seems too physically and mentally stressful and may start interfering with her training of her other elements. And really, 5 quads really takes away from the rest of the program.... 4 is already pushing this pretty hard.

Why not 3 quad programs? She's attempted 4+ quad programs for so long that downgrading seems like an attack on her self-identity. It just seems like 3 quad programs haven't worked out well for her either.

She's had a couple really bad 4 quad FS outings, but her highest scores and best results have come from 4 quad programs. She should stick with that.

I love her 4S, but it has a tendency to set a bad tone for her FS at the beginning(GPF 2019, 2020 Rostelecom, 2021 Worlds). I may be wrong, but it seems like it could be the hardest jump to warm up because of the entry. I'd go with the flip, lutz, and toe as the 3 quad types.

I would only go for one quad in the bonus, but if they do go for two quads they should probably make them both 4T.

I would like her to be more aggressive in the short program and go for the 3A and maybe even the 3Lz+3Lo. This may be hard to setup, but a good strategy might be that if she does the 3A that she should push her luck and do the combination as the last element. If it's not done well she should play conservative and do the combination on the 2nd jump pass to give herself a hail mary chance in the free skate.

I've had this the opinion that she should be going for the 3A in the SP and for doing a 4 quad FS without the 4S since last year's Euros.


To be fair, her coaches last year probably had a different strategy from the ones this year...

I too think that a 4 quad layout would be a good balance between leaving room for error and going clean. She could train all 5 types of quad, but just pick 2-3 types of jump that are working best in the weeks leading up to a certain event. Looking at the precedent set by Nathan and Yuzuru, 4 seems to be their default (3 early in the season or if not in top shape), with Nathan building up to 5 at key events.

As for 3A, I don't know how secure she is with that. If it's really far off, she could probably afford to forgo the SP advantage it brings and just focus on 4 quads in the free, since the risk of injury is not worth it. If it's improved from the last time we saw it and she can safely attempt it, I'd stick it in the SP but not the LP (to avoid affecting quads).
 
...

I find being a fan of Trusova to be very frustrating as I can't understand the strategy behind the jump layout decisions. ....
I can only judge by Sasha's last interviews. 5 quadruple jumps in FP - she can do it, she does it. This is her goal. And if you analyze the results of the competition and the judges' preferences with an open mind, then 5 quads + 3A is the only way to achieve an unconditional victory for Sasha. I myself find it difficult to come to terms with this. But there’s no other way. The clean run with two quads at the Russian Championship was great. But the result is almost 20 points of loss with equal BV. It was hoped that international judges would be more objective. In vain. To hope that rivals will make mistakes and give her victories - Sasha is the only skater in the world who can afford to do without it.
 
Actually I don't understand anymore whether more or less risk is better for her. We used to think that 5 quads program is riskier because it's physically demanding but it seems less of a problem for her now compared to her nerves.
Doesn't it seem like at the moment, she has a choice between planning 2-3 quads and landing them, or planning 5 and landing the same 2-3? She might as well go for the bolder layout! We know she's capable of landing the 5 in practice. I think - I hope :pray: - she can build up to landing all 5 in competition too.

I too think that a 4 quad layout would be a good balance between leaving room for error and going clean. She could train all 5 types of quad, but just pick 2-3 types of jump that are working best in the weeks leading up to a certain event. Looking at the precedent set by Nathan and Yuzuru, 4 seems to be their default (3 early in the season or if not in top shape), with Nathan building up to 5 at key events.
A bit more conservative than my approach, but yes, that would be a good start.
 
Trusova received terrible draws and she did prove in practice she can do a clean 5 quad runthrough... but over time towards the Olympics they need to decide on a set of elements she should focus on and a set layout. I once said that she should mix up her jump layouts to keep the judges from getting bored with her... and they've been doing that to a extreme extent.

I find being a fan of Trusova to be very frustrating as I can't understand the strategy behind the jump layout decisions. Seems like they swing between strategies. She keeps swinging from one extreme to another. Last year at the GPF she was doing 3A and a 5 quad FS and and by Europeans she was not doing the 3A and was doing a 3 quad FS. This year she swung in the opposite direction where she did a 3 quad FS at the channel one trophy and then at Worlds she was going for a 5 quad FS and seemingly the 3A in the SP. (this latter could be a matter of peaking but still)

Personally, I would prefer that she focused on doing 4 quad programs with 3 different types of quads.

The problem with 5 quad programs is that she has to warm up 4 different types of quads which seems too physically and mentally stressful and may start interfering with her training of her other elements. And really, 5 quads really takes away from the rest of the program.... 4 is already pushing this pretty hard.

Why not 3 quad programs? She's attempted 4+ quad programs for so long that downgrading seems like an attack on her self-identity. It just seems like 3 quad programs haven't worked out well for her either.

She's had a couple really bad 4 quad FS outings, but her highest scores and best results have come from 4 quad programs. She should stick with that.

I love her 4S, but it has a tendency to set a bad tone for her FS at the beginning(GPF 2019, 2020 Rostelecom, 2021 Worlds). I may be wrong, but it seems like it could be the hardest jump to warm up because of the entry. I'd go with the flip, lutz, and toe as the 3 quad types.

I would only go for one quad in the bonus, but if they do go for two quads they should probably make them both 4T.

I would like her to be more aggressive in the short program and go for the 3A and maybe even the 3Lz+3Lo. This may be hard to setup, but a good strategy might be that if she does the 3A that she should push her luck and do the combination as the last element. If it's not done well she should play conservative and do the combination on the 2nd jump pass to give herself a hail mary chance in the free skate.

I've had this the opinion that she should be going for the 3A in the SP and for doing a 4 quad FS without the 4S since last year's Euros.


Definitely a 4 quad program at the most because none of the other girls contending for the podium and the Olympics or world championship are going to do more than 2.

And Sasha needs to use the SP as a set up for the free skate and nothing more. I guarantee that's what the federation were washed from her with the short program. Anna was not at her best and if sasha had scored 76 in the SP the free skate it would have been a lot more interesting. She would have only been about 4 points behind Anya and the pressure on Anya would have been much greater in the free skate. As we know Anna pretty much cruised to the gold medal.

Hoping Sasha can get away from figure skating for a few weeks let her body heal up and then have great programs for next season. The coaches need to be very consistent with what they're doing. What happened to Aliona this year with all those programs was an issue.
 
In an interview, Sasha again spoke about the injustice of banning quadruple jumps in SP for women. For
the exhibition program is not prohibited - Sasha jumps 4Lz .:devil:

Lady skaters that can't by the rules do a quad in the SP are handicapped to a certain degree. I expect that to change after the Olympics.
 
For the SP, she could keep somethig soft and romantic to show everyone how heckin lyrical she can be (as the queen she is).
 
Does anyone think that there is a chance that Sasha skates to "Mulan" next season? This is my idee fixe at the moment. Some kind of "Loyal, Brave & True" and instrumental pieces like that: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SExFw3gl9Cc would be so great. And a red costume :)
Why not! Though Sofia Akatieva just had a Mulan FS, so I don't know if Plushenko's team will want to stir the drama. I have so many musics in my head that I keep picturing Sasha skating to, it's so frustrating to not be able to send her team a full list x') Lately I've been rewatching Gunnm, and I figured Cyborg Mermaid (the ending theme) would be really great for her. She is a real-life Battle Angel after all !

But most importantly, a Queen's Gambit themed LP would just be so, so awesome. I'll keep writing this everywhere in the desperate hope that somebody from Plushenko Ice Angels will stumble upon it xD

And now for something completely unrelated, I'm wondering if I am the only one to have the feeling that Sasha might cut her hair, at some point in the next couple of years ? It's been such a big part of her image and her childhood, that would be a real coming of age thing to do for/after the Olympics. I think she'd look great with a short bob. But she's also very attached to her long hair so I dunno, I figure it's 50/50 chance of either keep growing those Rapunzel locks or cutting everything short, since with her it's always all or nothing ^^
 
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